The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-04-13
The LITTLE TRAMP.
BY TOM TEASALL.

l was taking my customary afternoon
ramble about town one day when 1 heard
one of group Ct boys in loud voice ask
an approaching lad:
"Whered you sleep last night, Bud?"
/ stopped and turned to see who this
"bud" was that had been asked such a
singular question. He was spare boy,
apparently not over nine years old, and
his pinched features gave evidence of want.
His feet were bare, and a hat several sizes
too large covered his bead to his ears. His
clothes were common, but neat. He passed
the crowd of boys, and with a step that
indicated energy and activity came toward
| me.
Mister, do you know anybody that
wants to hire a boy?" he asked, in a pure
childish voice, and the honest blue eyes
looked at me hopefully for an answer.
knew of no one wanting 10 hire boy,
especially one SO small. My interrogation
had evidently undergone severe privations,
and was doubtless greatly in need of assist
ance.
"what kind of work." 1 inquired, "can
you do!"
"Oh, sir, most any kind" he replied. II
can build fires and sweep and run errands
and saw wood, but the last work had was
on farm, and there l dropped corn and
pulled weeds and watered and fed the
stock, but l took the chills, and Mr..
Thompson told me that he wouldn't need
me any longer, and lie gived me two dol
lars and told me I'd have to go somewhere
else"
And how long now have you been with
out work."
almost six weeks.
And do you mean to say that you have
lived on two dollars all this timer
No, sir. l got so cold o nights that I'd
almost freeze, and so took one dollar and
seventy five cents and bought this coat
and he looked down at the coat fondly. Il
spent the rest of my money for something
to eat when got hungry" he added.
The honest manner of the boy convinced
me that he was telling the truth, and, in
quisitiyeness being part of business,
began questioning him.
Where is your homer" ! asked.
II haven't got any," he replied.
as your father or mother alive?"
No, sir; they've both been dead q long
line. When they died a man come and
ook my little brother and sister
away, and | don't know where they went.
Mr.. Campbell said he'd take care o me,
but / wanted to be with my brother and
sister, and l run away and went the way
saw the man 60, but got lost and couldn't
find them, and l just kept on goin', ;" and
here the little strange tramp broke out into
deep sobs.
Mister, if you know anybody that wants
10 hire boy, please tell me-" he said i'm
ploringly after a moments silence, cause
I'm so hungry"
| took the boy to a r. staurant near at
hand and directed the waiter TO give him
whatever he wanted. In the conversation
in the meantime learned that he had been
tramping from place 10 place since the
death of his parents. working at whatever
he could get to do for a living, often going
for days with scarcely anything to eat, and
frequently sleeping OUT doors at night
However, in all his tramps he had never
been in city, and be seemed to think he
was the only homeless boy in the world.
He knew nothing about bootblacks and
newsboys. When asked why he did not 60
to the Orphans Home, he inquired with
wonder if there was such a place, and his
eyes beamed with delight at the thought of
there being home for him.
"Oh, I'd do anything for homel" he ex-
claimed. Boys don't know what 1t is TO
have good homes and good parents to take
! care of EN- and send 'em to school,"
Did you ever go to SCHOOL," asked.
no"
"Can you read?"
"Yes sir. My mother and Sunday school
teacher learned me TO read, and l never
forgot how. | read old papers whenever
can get them"
Can you write, also?'
"Yes, sir; and just let me write some
thing for you to show YOU"
| handed him my note book and pencil.
What do you want me to writer" he
asked.
well, / replied, write your name"
He slowly and carefully scrawled his
name on a page of the note book. and with
sort of triumphant smile handed it to me,
remarking:
"Can you beat that"
The awkward, irregular letters, running
across the page as though each was afraid
| of getting too near the other, formed the
autograph of "youres truli thomas ID.
browne"
AS had considerable work to do, 1 told
Tom that l would now have to go, but re-
quested him to come to the journal Office
at five o'clock, and he would find me there.
Are You the man that makes news
papers?" he asked
l explained to him that helped to make
one of the many purporting to be such.
"How much would il cost for me to learn
that business2 I'd like to be n newspaper
man, and then I'd get to read lots, he re-
marked.
"Proprietors of newspapers are always
anxious 10 get good, intelligent boys, and
they generally pay them sufficient to live
on while learning printing, but you are
most too small to be printers devil
now, Tom"
"Well, how old will I have TO be fore II
be lowed to learn2"
Your age is not as important as your
qualifications. To learn printing roperl,
one should have good English education
and be quick TO think and act"
"Yes, but couldn't | do like great mar
that / once read about in n Sunday schoo
paper. He commenced TO learn the printin
trade when he was a little boy. and didn'
know much, but he studied hard and go
10 be great man"
"les, it is true that many boys get thei
} education by diligent study after entering
the printing Office, and some Of our great